


Perfectly Planned

by Maiika



Category: Oz (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Insight, Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 08:17:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5490179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiika/pseuds/Maiika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place between the first three episodes of Season 3.  A conversation that answers some lingering questions following Metzger's murder and preceding Andrew Schillinger's arrival to Oz, which the show skimmed over.  Purely my speculation.  Fits with canon events.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perfectly Planned

Tim McManus leaned back in his desk chair, sinking into the subtle, steady bounce of its springs as he stared at the stone-faced prisoner seated across the desk from him.

Tobias Beecher was expectant, waiting patiently, as the C.O. posted outside the office half-turned his back from them, unconcerned about that prisoner being alone with McManus. Either that, or the C.O. was unconcerned about McManus' safety. One could never be sure in Oz. In the case of this particular prisoner, McManus usually would have agreed upon a lack of danger. Given his most recent discovery, though, now he wasn't so sure.

"Chris Keller made a confession earlier." McManus stated in a level tone, his eyes never leaving those of the stone-faced man before him as he carefully watched for a reaction.  "He puts himself, Schillinger, and Metzger in the gym that day you were attacked."

Now, McManus knew there was bound to be a reaction. Shock, anger, disbelief if Beecher really didn't know, as he claimed. Or rage, relief, even pleasure at the knowledge of the confession if he knew the culprits of the crime, as McManus already suspected.

Beecher's eyes widened slightly as he clearly understood and accepted the information, but his gaze remained impassive as he stiffened, then slowly nodded while clasping both hands together over the curve of the cane nestled between his knees. His lips turned down into a frown before he glanced at his twitching fingers. Then he met McManus' gaze and released a harsh, shaky exhale.

His lips tightened into a firm line before he finally opened his mouth to speak.  "So you were right about Metzger."

Beecher made a click of his tongue, and then a glare then crossed Beecher's face; he nearly sneered as he looked at McManus with memories of that day, or perhaps his painful time spent in recovery visibly crossing his mind. "I want them punished."

Beecher's jaw tightened as his clasped hands clenched tighter around the curve of the cane and he inched forward in his seat. McManus could not contain the pitying gaze that crossed his face as he met Beecher's anguished expression.

"What are you doing to punish them?" Beecher pushed further with a tilt of his head, raising his gaze to meet McManus' eyes insistently.

"Well, Schillinger's spending time in the hole." McManus explained with a forced, uplifting tone and a fervent nod. "He'll be tried for the attack, while Keller's prepared to testify against him."

McManus cringed with discomfort as Beecher's eyes narrowed angrily at the mention of Keller's testimony.  "And Keller?" Beecher asked knowingly, his chin lowering as his lips turned down deeply in bitter disappointment. "What are you going to do with that cocksucker?"

McManus swallowed guiltily before reluctantly meeting Beecher's gaze.  "He's in protective custody."

At the accusing look that crossed Beecher's face upon hearing his answer, McManus frowned. With a tilt of his head, McManus raised his brows at Beecher as if to say, 'what else do you expect?'

Beecher pursed his lips tightly with displeasure and turned his head to momentarily gaze out the window of McManus' office, loosening and again quickly gripping tight the cane between his legs.

After a long, tense silence, McManus defensively added, "You know the Aryans are going to have it out for Keller after he betrayed Schillinger and Metzger, Beecher.  I was shocked that he confessed." McManus searched for Beecher's gaze as he spoke, while Beecher continued gazing around the office. "I can't imagine what possessed him to do that."

As McManus made the pointed comment, he noted Beecher's lip twist into a wry smile.

"Yeah. I can't either." Beecher replied, though when he finally turned to have his eyes land on McManus, McManus knew by the momentary spark in Beecher's eyes that Beecher knew more that he wasn't sharing. "What about Metzger? Don't tell me there's nothing you can do about that fuck."

Beecher narrowed his eyes accusingly at McManus crossing his arms and repeating the action of leaning back in his chair again, while carefully scrutinizing the prisoner before him.  "Metzger's dead. He was just murdered here in Oz."

Beecher held nothing back in immediately chuckling cruelly at the news.

"You wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Beecher?" McManus asked suspiciously.

Beecher laughed disbelievingly, indicating himself as he pressed a hand to his chest. "Me? You think I might have something to do with Metzger's death?  How could I? You just now told me about Metzger's involvement, and even _if_ I was lying and already knew about him being in the gym that day," with an artfully innocent smile, Beecher paused to meet the challenge of McManus's accusing look, "don't you think I would have had something done sooner, rather than kill the guy as soon as I'm out of the infirmary?"

McManus didn't respond immediately. But then he tossed his head back and huffed in agreement with Beecher's convincing speech.

Beecher smirked at the sight of McManus' swaying opinion written across his face. "I'm not that dumb."

As Beecher shook his head, McManus couldn't help chuckling and nodding in agreement. 

"Yeah.”  McManus gave an indicative wave towards Beecher's cane as he laughed dismissively, his countenance becoming visibly relaxed in Beecher's presence.  “You're hardly in physical shape to take down a guy like Metzger with your own hands."

 

Beecher’s gaze drifted outside the room again and he sniffed with barely contained disdain at McManus' supposition. "Right."

Beecher’s lip twitched upward, and then a smile of satisfaction etched across his face before he looked to McManus again. "But I am glad he's dead."

McManus' eyes widened in surprise at Beecher’s straightforward, honest admittance.

"If he really allowed Schillinger and Keller to cause me that type of pain," Beecher explained with a nonchalant shrug, "then he deserved what he got."

McManus inhaled deeply and released a heavy exhale as he met Beecher's eyes, woefully nodding in understanding. Beecher clutched both hands over his cane at that moment, wincing in pain as he shifted and put weight on his legs to rise to his feet. McManus instinctively lunged forward as if to help, though the desk between them would not permit the proximity for such assistance. Their movements caught the eye of the C.O. standing outside, who reached for the door as McManus made his way around his desk.

"Beecher." McManus called with a deep frown and nervous scratch of his head as Beecher turned for the door.

Beecher turned back to look at McManus with a knowing frown, immediately recognizing that hesitant tone of Em City's unit manager.

"About what happened to you...that never shoulda fuckin’ happened." McManus admitted as his eyes lowered to the ground with guilt.

McManus felt responsible for all that occurred in his unit, under his watch, and Beecher had no words to dissuade him of feeling his guilt. Beecher silently nodded to himself as McManus continued looking down. He tightened his jaw as that familiar anger which had been brewing for the past months of recovery rose to the surface again.

"I'm sorry." McManus said gravely as his eyes rose from the ground to bravely meet Beecher's cold stare.

" _You're_ sorry." Beecher repeated with a scoff, shaking his head and taking another step towards the door as he muttered, "Everyone's sorry."

As Beecher sighed heavily and reached for the door, McManus scowled pensively at the carpeting at his feet before raising his gaze to the doorway again and raising his voice so the prisoner would hear him. "Not everyone, Beecher."

Beecher didn't turn or reply, but his footsteps abruptly halted.

"Schillinger still doesn't give a damn. Even with those charges being brought up, I'm sure that fuck's not sorry."

Beecher's lip twitched towards a scowl before he glanced over his shoulder towards McManus, leaning heavily on his cane.  "Don't worry. He will be."

After Beecher turned and left the room, McManus placed his hands on his hips, watching the door swing closed, while through the clear glass walls of his office, he could see Beecher being escorted downstairs by the C.O.

McManus rubbed his palm over his face as he groaned aloud and finally returned to his chair. He tossed papers and files aside on his desk as he sorted through the more abstract mess in his head over what little good was becoming of his beloved Em City. The riot, the drugs, too many murders, this growing thing between Beecher and Schillinger, and a few corrupt C.O.s being thrown into the mix all were adding up to ruin the reputation of his experimental unit. With prisoners like Schillinger failing to be rehabilitated, Em City was earning a bad name.

McManus ceased his aimless sorting when his eyes landed on a familiar name on a paper atop his desk. He pulled the page closer as his eyes skimmed the list of newly arriving inmates coming to Oz. After he re-read the name a few times with disbelief, McManus huffed in amusement. Maybe if the first Schillinger couldn't be rehabilitated in Em City, the second one could prove the value of McManus' efforts. If he could turn around a Schillinger, he could still prove his critics wrong.

Worst case scenario, if Andrew Schillinger proved to be as much a lost cause as his father, at least McManus knew he'd get some satisfaction out of making Schillinger miserable while the prick knew his son was left to the devices of Beecher, O'Reily, and every other inmate he'd crossed in Em City. Not that McManus truly expected anything to happen to Andrew Schillinger. He wouldn't expect anything of Beecher, and O'Reily would be too much of a prime suspect to act against the boy on his own.

Schillinger's son would be safe. McManus was simply fucking with Schillinger by bringing the boy into Em City.

Right?


End file.
